who is also using the Tour of Britain to prepare for next week’s world time trial championship in Florence, a race which will be broadcast live on BBC2 and the BBC Sport website from 14:00 BST on Wednesday, 25 September.

“I’ve been training throughout July and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been round this course,” he said. “I only live 20km away.”

Wiggins also said that while many riders opted not to practice in the morning rain, he used the session to check how quickly he could race around the roundabouts in an effort to pick up crucial seconds on main rivals Nairo Quintana and Dan Martin.

“I’m not a great climber like Dan or Quintana, so I need to do a [good] time trial and gain in areas where guys won’t pay as much attention, especially when it’s raining,” he said.

“I had to take every second I could really.

“The priority was the stage win but to take the [leader’s] jersey was what we planned for and everything is on track to try and win this race.

“Everyone knows we’re here to win the race. I’ve wanted to win this race for a few years. I was in no condition last year so it’s nice to be, at this time of year, in great shape and able to compete.”

Wiggins finished one minute 35 seconds ahead of Colombia’s Quintana, runner-up to Chris Froome in this year’s Tour de France, and a further seven seconds quicker than Ireland’s Martin.

Overnight leader Gerald Ciolek started the stage 30 seconds ahead of Wiggins but his time of 21:45 saw him slide down the rankings.

Movistar rider Alex Dowsett, who has won the British time trial championship for the past three years and